As many of you know, a few months back, my wife and I brought home our very first human baby. In advance of the birth, I had made a point of leaving Mary cute little sketches of what our baby might look like — most all of which she deemed “terrifying.” I thought I’d share them with readers …

And now, here’s the real deal! This is Penelope Fern Auxier. Not quite as many fangs as I’d imagined …

As part of a reading incentive run by our library for the summer hols, your book was one that my daughter chose to read. As soon as I read the blurb to her, we knew we had to bring it home. We have thoroughly enjoyed the experience, as has anyone else listening in :)

As a dyslexic she is eager for the audio book to be available so she can listen again.

Congratulations. I love her name. I have previously decided that if I ever have a biological girl, she will be ” Fern” (from Charlotte’s Web, of course). I love children’s lit, and your book is my 9 year old son’s favorite book so far. His 13 year old sister and I loved it too. The kids were adopted two and a half years ago. Both could hardly read at the time, but books like yours have given them a whole new perspective on something that used to be a boring chore.

My comment above was written using a couple angle brackets which got removed and took out some of the text in this sentence: “I have previously decided that if I ever have a biological girl, she will be ”some-3-syllable-name Fern” (from Charlotte’s Web, of course).”

Congratulations, and kudos to you for picking such an exemplary name. I brought home a Penelope a number of years ago, and she turned out quite satisfactorily. Yours is exceptionally adorable. Fun sketches, too :)

A beautiful baby! Mazel tov! I met you last February when you were our guest author at Ventura Unified’s Battle of the Books. This year, Peter Nimble is on the list. Tomorrow I will present to our club at Cabrillo Middle School (for which I am now the librarian!) yours and Peter’s website.
No news yet on my wife and my book, Doughboy Dog, but I remember fondly your encouraging words.
Again, mazel tov on your precious Penny,
Michael

“It is so easy to chatter about the Beautiful. But it takes more genius to say, in proper style, “close the door,” or “he wanted to sleep,” than to give all the literature courses in the world.”

- Gustave Flaubert, Letters

Thrilled to be sitting next to @carolinetc when she wrote “The End” on her new novel! I get a contact high off of other writers’ success!